Macee Pickering eyes a pitch during an earlier Kewanee game. Pickering had two hits and two runs in the Thursday double-header win over Sterling Newman. [Photo courtesy of the Kewanee Athletic Department]

The Kewanee softball team opened conference play Thursday night against Sterling Newman (0-3, 0-1) and came away with a double-header win on their home field at Northeast Park. 

The Boiler Girls (5-3, 1-0) came from behind in the first game to record an 11-8 win and cruised to a 13-1 win in the game two nightcap. 

Kewanee 11, Sterling Newman 8

Newman took a 2-1 lead in the first inning. Kieryn Abernathy singled and Remy Hicks scored to get Kewanee on the board. 

Newman put up two more runs in the top of the second to push their lead to 4-1. The Boiler Girls tacked on a run when Lexi Dillender homered on a fly ball to center field to move the score to 4-2 after two innings of play. 

Each team added two runs in the fourth inning and the Comets maintained a two run lead at 6-4. Rylie Pfister scored for Kewanee and Kalleigh Gale singled, sending home Lyric Duytschaver. 

Facing two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Boiler Girls erupted for seven runs to take an 11-6 lead. Scoring for Kewanee were Hicks, Abernathy, Gale, Hope Peed, Hannah Tiska, Allison Bartell and Cheyanne Rodgers 

Newman mustered two more runs in the top of the sixth inning, but 11-8 would be the closest the Comets would get. 

Gale went the distance and earned the win for Kewanee. She struck out 11 batters and walked one, surrendering 10 hits and eight runs (four earned). 

Jess Johns took the loss for the Comets. She struck out four players and walked four, surrendering nine hits and 11 runs (three earned).

At the plate:

Gale (2-2, 3 RBI, 1 run and 1 BB). Hicks ( 2-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 BB). Tiska (2-3, 2 runs). Abernathy (1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 BB). Dillender (1-4, 1 home run, 1 RBI). 

Peed (1-4, 1 run). Rodgers (1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI). Macee Pickering and Addy Gerard were both 1-4 at the plate. Bartell and Pfister each scored a run in the win. 

Addy Gerard awaits a throw at first base during an earlier game in the season. [Photo courtesy of the Kewanee Athletic Department]

Kewanee 13, Sterling Newman 1

The Boiler Girls put up one run in the first inning when Kieryn Abernathy doubled on a line drive to left field and Hannah Tiska scored on the play. 

Kewanee turned their 1-0 first inning lead into a 7-0 advantage in the second inning. Scoring runs for the Boiler Girls were Tiska, Macee Pickering, Rylie Pfister, Lyric Duytschaver, Remy Hicks and Cheyanne Rodgers. 

The Comets put one run on the board in the bottom of the third inning, but that would be their only score of the second game. 

Kewanee added six more runs in the top of the fourth inning to close out the 13-1 win. With the score 7-1, Abernathy hit a single and Hicks scored on the play. Tiska then scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead, 9-1. 

With Rodgers on third base and Abernathy on second, Gale hit a 3-run homer to put Kewanee ahead, 12-1. Kewanee’s final run of the inning (and game) came while bases were loaded. Pickering advanced home on a passed ball. 

Hope Peed picked up the win in the circle for Kewanee. She fanned four batters and gave up four walks, while giving up one run and two hits. Cheyanne Rodgers and Lyric Duytschaver each threw shutout innings in the win. 

At the plate:

Abernathy (3-3, 1 double, 3 RBI, 1 run). Tiska (2-2, 3 runs, 2 RBI, 1 BB). Rodgers (2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI). Gale (1-3, 1 home run, 3 RBI). Pickering (1-2, 2 runs, 1 BB). Hicks (2 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI). Pfister (2 BB, 1 run). Duytschaver (1 BB, 1 run). Peed (1-3). Nebinger (1 BB).